As you look around you, who can you see?
William Wrigley Jr. of chewing gum fame said, “When two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary”. He was explaining the pointlessness of seeking advice from someone who will always agree with you.
It is human nature to feel the warm glow of affirmation when someone agrees with you; however, there is a real chance that if no one disagrees with your view, then you are operating in an echo chamber.
Successful individuals and leaders surround themselves with people who inspire them and enable them to succeed, harnessing the diversity of skills and thought at hand. Healthy disagreement enables increased confidence that multiple perspectives and angles have been considered, and this can be used to inform any required risk mitigation plan.
With that in mind, take time to think:
- Who do you see when you look around you? Yes people, or people who feel safe to challenge you and their colleagues?
- Specifically when was the last time someone disagreed with you? How did you react?
- What more do you need to do to create the conditions for people around you to speak up?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
For more articles, encouraging you to think and be the change – visit here.